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Hearing aids for the masses

 


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Ontech is back from spring break and magnolia trees are blooming outside the Ontech headquarters (also known as my New York apartment).

Today, let’s talk about relatively simple technology and government policy changes that could bring further innovation to Americans with deafness.

I’ve talked to audiologists, consumer advocates, and tech companies about the potential to revolutionize ear hearing aids at a fraction of the cost and hassle of traditional devices.

The current situation is as follows. Deafness is a prevalent and serious health problem, and many people are reluctant or unable to afford traditional hearing aids. Almost 38 million American adults have reported some degree of deafness, but only a few who can benefit from hearing aids have ever used them.

Hearing aids usually cost thousands of dollars, require multiple visits to professionals, and are often covered by health insurance. Untreated deafness is associated with cognitive decline, dementia, and other harm. Overcoming barriers to hearing treatment may significantly improve the health of Americans.

The federal government is poised to support. In 2017, Congress passed a law that would allow anyone to buy hearing aids approved by the Food and Drug Administration without a prescription from a hearing aid specialist. The FDA has missed the deadline to publish a draft guideline for this new category of commercial hearing aids.

Experts have told me that the FDA’s progress could lead to new products and ideas that change hearing aids, as we know it.

Imagine Apple, Bose, or another consumer electronics company making hearing aids in a more stylish and relatively affordable way. People who are confident that FDA Bose has scrutinized the device told me they are working on over-the-counter hearing aid technology.

Barbara Kelley, secretary-general of the Hearing Loss Association of America advocacy group, told me I couldn’t wait for more affordable and accessible hearing assistance. She said she was really excited to see the market open to see what we got and how people are reacting.

It is already possible to buy a hearing aid that cannot be legally called a hearing aid without a prescription. These devices, called personal sound amplification products or PSAPs, vary greatly in quality from good to junk. But when shopping for them, people often can’t tell the difference.

(The Wall Street Journal recently wrote about hearing aid technologies such as earphones that can amplify quiet sounds, and Consumer Reports has a handy guide to hearing aids and PSAP.)

Nicholas Reed, Dean of the Department of Hearing at the Johns Hopkins Cochlear Hearing Public Health Center, told me that the FDA’s process should provide the best path to PSAP for approval as an official commercial hearing aid. He also expects a new company to hit the market.

You might suspect that the gadget you buy next to CVS toilet paper could be a serious medical device. However, according to Dr. Reed’s research, some hearing aids under $ 350 are about as good as prescription hearing aids for people with mild to moderate deafness.

Dr. Reed described Hyundai’s lowest-cost device as a hearing aid. (This was a compliment.) They aren’t flashy, but they will safely and effectively take many people to where they need to go. He also imagines that FDA rules will create conditions for more people to buy hearing aids both in stores and on prescriptions.

According to experts, over-the-counter hearing aids cannot help everyone. Also, in the traditional hearing aid industry, it is said that it is best to use a customized device with the help of a specialist.

More technology is brewed at the extravagant end of the spectrum. A Silicon Valley startup called Whisper says it has a new monthly payment option for hearing aids, whose software learns over time based on an individual’s hearing impairment.

Healthcare in the United States often feels deadlocked, and technology is usually not the solution. But with hearing aids, changes in technology and government policy can lead to health-friendly innovations.

This week’s tips

Would you like to give out your phone? Be sure to delete everything.

Don’t let strangers see all your old texts and photos! Brian X. Chen, a consumer technology columnist at The New York Times, advises on what to do before handing over an old phone.

At some point, say goodbye to your smartphone. You can give it to your family for a new purchase, or trade in at a retail store to get upgrade credits.

In any case, you should always erase all data from the device before passing it on.

First of all: Make sure you have a backup of your data. Apple’s website has instructions on how to back up your iPhone, and Google has instructions for Android.

After completing that procedure, connect the device and erase all data from the device. For iPhone, follow Apple’s instructions to delete the data. For Android, the procedure depends on the device manufacturer and operating system version. Search for reset options within the Settings app.

And you can go.

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